welcome back to "cnn newsroom." i'm suzanne malveaux. numbers are in nor the most anticipated jobs report of the year. this is the final report before the presidential election on tuesday. it shows the economy added 171,000 jobs last month. the unemployment rate ticked up to 7.9%. here's what president obama said about these numbers this morning in ohio. >> today our businesses have created nearly 5.5 million new jobs, and this morning we learned that companies hired more workers in october than at any time in the last eight months. >> i want to talk about the economics and the politics of the report with our chief business correspondent ali velshi and john avalon. they're in ohio talking to the voters. ali, let's start with you since you have an economics, numbers guy here. >> yeah. >> we looked at this, and the

economy stated by cnn money, they were twpg 125,000 jobs, so this number was higher at 171,000. so you have figures in august and september, also higher than we thought. what do we say about the overall growth and the health of the economy and the recovery? >> you and i talked about this before. i like the jobs creation or job loss numbers. the establishment survey more than i like the unemployment number. by the way, i feel the same way about it when it's low and when it's high. this is both ways. if you are mitt romney you get to say, the unemployment rate has gone higher, and it's still too high. if you are barack obama, you can at on another month, i guess -- i don't know how many months now it is of private sector unemployment. private sector employment growth. what it says to you when you see numbers like 171,000, we believe that 250,000 is the kind of number you have to see to really get the economy going, so this one splits right down the middle. we're in ohio, a state that's split down the middle. undecided split down the middle, and a jobs report that splits down the middle. >> do people feel this? do they feel the recovery, do

you think, the folks you talk to? >> what do you think, john? >> i think people do have the sense that things are getting better? they're out of this -- we were in toledo four years ago. the unemployment rate was 12.6%. now it's actually lower than the national average. wered 7.5%. there is a sense that things are getting better, so we're just talking to the mayor of toledo, mayor bell. he was saying that the auto bailout had a big impact, but people understand that the recovery is slow. it's not as fast as they would like. >> we're in toledo. >> we were in youngstown yesterday. it's the big gm lordstown plant. ohioans are really attached to the auto industry, and they definitely feel a lot of relief. there is three shifts going on at these plants. they were down to one in some cases and manufacture these plants were down to being shut. we are definitely sensing that people feel things are a little bit better. the question, suzanne, is who do they credit for that? >> and the other thing, too, is, of course, we've heard from the president saying, look, this is evidence that this is 32 straight months of private sector growth, and you have mitt

romney on the other side saying that it's a sad reminder that the economy is at a standstill. his own words. beyond the spin here, what do you think voters are hearing when they hear this number today, and does it even change their perception at all of how the economy is doing? to either one of you. >> suzanne, you know, the uptick is not great news for the obama campaign. it is still -- >> this is a 7.8% to 7.9%. >> that's the top line number that people pay attention to. i don't think it does distract from the larger point, which is, yes, the economy is improving. we've come a long way, but it's not improving as fast as we would like. >> remember, look at the numbers we saw this week. it's a difference number. weird, but consumer confidence is the highest level it's been since february of 2008. the economic numbers tell you a slightly more tepid story. americans are actually feeling better about the economy and that definitely plays to barack obama. >> and, suzanne, you do hear that. in these ohio towns, these cities that will determine the next president, there is this

sense of, you know, we're coming out of it. we've been through the worst. you know, there's a sense of optimism about the future, but a real sense of it's not happening as fast as we would like, and they get that, and that's the argument mitt romney has been trying to make. >> all right. so it sounds like they are looking to both sides for the argument there. john, ali, good to see you both. wheat get back to you in a bit. he is furious because the island residents were not told until it was too late about how to get emergency food, shelters, and schools. trucks full of supplies and fema disaster teams are now on the ground in staten island. many people there say that is all that they have got. our brian todd is hearing stories today. watching help arrive. all he's folks. brian, first of all, tell us about the supplies, about the crews and the complaints here. it seems like this is a very difficult situation for folks. >> it is very difficult, suzanne. still very difficult. yesterday when we came here,

this place was like a war zone. it looked like a shelled out just bombed out neighborhood. scenes like this behind me are all over the place, and make no mistake, it is still a very devastated scene. you do get a sense that all this morning that this neighborhood is coming back to life. people all over the streets. you have a family digging out there that's trying to dig out some of the remnants of the debris from their home. this church has had just to put everything out on the street that was in its basement. they used this stove, this refrigerator, the chairs here to feed people on sunday. that's all shot because the basement was flooded. but there is relief on the ground. city dump trucks over here to my right, your left, our journalist chris turner will show you one down there. thereby tl have been dump trucks, fork lifts, bulldozers coming all through this neighborhood clearing debris. sanitation trucks coming in here. national guardsmen on the ground. you know what, again, still a very profound sense of loss, a very profound sense that there

is a long, long way to go for this neighborhood, and a sense of anger still that the relief was kind of just taking way too long to get here. a few residents we spoke to yesterday basically bore that out. take a listen. >> some came up into the gate where the water came up and knocked things down. >> not without any funds. no. without funds i'll probably have to walk away from my home. i'll probably have to walk away from my home. >> there's real heart break still as people try to pick up the pieces, and those two ladies and other residents here were complaining that the relief agencies have taken too long to get here. the burrough president was especially angry at the red cross, that it took at least two days for people to get on the ground. the red cross, we're told, is around here. fema, we see a feel away bus down the street. they're here notice doing everything they can, suzanne.

>> we know about half of the storm deaths in new york happened right where you are. how have people been coping with that? >> they're walking around trying to inquire about neighbors that might be hurt or maybe are still missing. one local guy told me here he said, you know, the police and others are going around checking some of the houses where there is debris that's been unloaded. he says they should check the houses where there's no debris in front because that may signal that nobody has either come or maybe people didn't get out of the houses. pretty good point to make. there's still just a lot of uncertainty in this neighborhood about who may have gotten out and who may not have. >> all right. brian todd, thank you very much. appreciate it. want to welcome our viewers around the world. cmn international who are joining us to walk this newscast. clearly, this is something that the whole world is watching as people try to cope and recover from this super storm.

also, something xwit unbelievable here, and it's the last thing they need. more bad weather. very cold weather. there is now a winter storm that is coming. >> we're going to die if we get killed with the weather. we're going die. we're going to freeze. >> we want to bring in -- people around the world feel captivated by what is happening on the east coast, and when i first ran into the report, i could not believe it. i'm, like, this is really, really is this going to happen here? more bad weather? >> you know, without sandy, this storm that we're going to talk about is not a storm. it's not a big deal. but you have millions of people without power, you have millions of people with half of a roof off, the windows shattered, trying to survive, live in their let's head outside, and all of a sudden you get wind and rain -- not a hurricane, but 30 miles per hour. you get wind and rain and maybe even into upstate and snow.

here's what's set up. still very cold in the northeast right now. the jet stream goes up and then down. when the jet stream goes down, that allows all the cold air to spill in from the north. when the jet stream goes up like that, that allows sometimes a low pressure system to come over and then back down and go up as a coastal low. it's up there long enough. i know they have natural gas there, but you can't turn on your furnace if you don't have feign to blow that around. the furnace simply will not turn on. this is a european model. we use this model really

extentively especially with sandy. it's done a fantastic job predicting where sandy was going to go. >> think run up the atlantic coast and bring it to boston and new york and all the way down to d.c. and maybe even potential for snow to the west. other problems when this goes by, the winds come like this. what does that do? it grabs more cold air, more cold air that will bring low temperatures down into the 30s. philadelphia, seaside heights where half the houses are knocked down the first couple of rows from the ocean. below freezing, and no heat for people trying to recover. >> when do we think this is going to happen? >> it happens on wednesday afternoon. >> there could even be a piece -- a small piece coming out on monday, but the main storm looks like it approaches the northeast on wednesday.

>> all right. for people who have a little bit of time to get ready for this, there is a warning that this is coming, so people have a couple of days to really hunker down and try to figure this out. thank you, chad. really appreciate it. you got one storm that is gone and another that might be coming to the east coast. still digging out. >> we just got here, and we just went into the backyard and we've got somebody's kayak in auerbach yard. somebody's refrigerator in auerbach yard. >> we'll have more on the continuing crisis. ♪

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soothes you to sleep with ingredients like melatonin. it's safe with no side effects, so you wake up... ready to go. [ male announcer ] unisom natural nights. four days until the legs, and the economy and a handful of swing states could sway ut outcome of the presidential race. in iowa the unemployment rate is 5.2%. it's much lower than the national average of 7.9%. the economy is still causing problems for the president. >> we basically started this in a little 24 x 24 rundown garage.

>> reporter: that was 33 years ago how is business? >> slow. >> reporter: you see kevin harbor has seen his metal company business fall approximate fall, down 20% this year. >> mid 2012 it started slowing down, and it's been a downward trend ever since probably may. >> reporter: but his iowa isn't the iowa the economic numbers illustrate. largely spared by the housing crisis, reaping the benefits of the strong farming sector, and unemployment well below the national average. >> i realize here we're not bad in iowa, but our customer base is not basically in iowa. >> reporter: it matters how california looks, it matters how nevada looks, matters how virginia looks. >> right. >> reporter: it is difficult for mitt romney to say this economy is in freefall. it is not. >> reporter: >> unemployment rates here is pretty -- good. 5.2%, one of the lowest in the country. the president won here by ten

percentage points in the last election. my question here is why can't he lock it down right now? it's neck and neck. >> you know, though, we actually feel like we are locking it down. we have been lock it down for two years. >> i think he is selling something. i don't think it's locked down. >> reporter: we found plenty of iowans that aren't defensed by either campaign. >> fiscally i just don't see how we can sustain ourselves. i mean, europe right now, i mean, big huge great empires, countries and all that, that they're going bankrupt. it's going to be us. >> reporter: orthodontist chad moran plans to vote for romney, but didn't think his math udz up to erase the deficit. >> i don't think either side honestly really has a plan for going ahead. >> it becomes a lesser of two evils. >> reporter: he says he can't plan a 2013 budget and can't hire. >> they're just not ordering. >> reporter: he says, like him,

they're frozen waiting to see who wins the election and whether we fall off the fiscal cliff. >> i need some reassurance that we're going to take care of our debt problems, that we're going to help small business. >> reporter: he says he will vote for romney, but acknowledges there's little the next president can do without congress, and it pains him. >> this is my dream. i have everything invested in this company, and so, you know, my name is on the line. with the bank. i have to make it happen. my people are counting on me. >> reporter: the economic numbers in iowa tell a good story for the president, but plenty of people here worry about the bigger picture. neither campaign can take this state's critical electoral votes for granted. >> poppy harlow is joining us from cedar falls, iowa. it struck me that people are pessimistic about their futures and very, very concerned and they look at both candidates'

economic plans and don't really seem to be all that enthused by either one. >> reporter: i think you're reading it exactly right. i mean, we've been here for a week on the road, suzanne, town to town. i have not heard one person that is incredibly enthusiastic about either candidate. >> they are really xwernd the big picture here. the long-term deficit, what it means for their kids. at the same time i did meet obama supporters here who do like his plan, especially when it comes to investing in education, in training. they like obama care. they say our economy is not where it needs to be, but we are going to stick with the president to move forward because we like his thinking. interestingly, the man you saw on the piece, kevin harbor, told me wish there was a viable third party candidate because i'm not really sold on either of these guys. >> wow. that's very telling. poppy, thank you. appreciate it. >> yeah.

today both candidates are offering their vision for america. this is an exclusive opinion article for cnn.com on our worldwide website. president obama who just spoke in ohio a short while ago right on cnn.com today saying i believe america's prosperity was built on the strength of our middle class. we don't succeed when a few of the top do well while everyone else struggles to get by. we're better off when everyone gets a fair shot. everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules. the man who wants his job, of course, former massachusetts governor, mitt romney, spoke in wisconsin. that was just a short time ago. he is also on cnn.com. his opinion speech. romney wrote about bipartisanship. he says i am offering a contrast to what we're seeing in washington today. we watched as one party has pushed through its agenda without compromising with the other party. there's much gridlock and pettiness dominating while important issues facing the

nation while high unemployment go unaddressed. the bickering has to end. i will end it. i will reach across the aisle to solve america's problems. >> you can read their complete opinions by logging on to our website. go to cnn.com/opinion. then go to my facebook page and tell me who you think has the most compelling vision for america's vision. we'll actually read back some of your responses at facebook.com/suzannemalveaux. vice president joe biden back from the battleground state of wisconsin. he says he is stumping on the opposition home court. stansville, wisconsin, that is paul ryan's hometown just about 20 minutes north of beloit. you're looking at live pictures where the vice president is going to be speaking shortly. biden's visit comes just today after the president's trip to green bay, and here's why. take a look at the latest cnn poll of polls for wisconsin. of likely voters president obama leads with 51%.

mitt romney has 44%. this is an average of several polls. now, one man, he was so desperate for gas in new york, he reportedly pulled a gun in a waiting -- waiting in the line there. you can see. we'll show you how desperate this situation has become. i don't spend money on gasoline. i am probably going to the gas station about once a month. last time i was at a gas station

was about...i would say... two months ago. i very rarely put gas in my chevy volt. i go to the gas station such a small amount that i forget how to put gas in my car. [ male announcer ] and it's not just these owners giving the volt high praise. volt received the j.d. power and associates appeal award two years in a row. ♪

new york governor andrew cuomo is trying to get gas into his state as quickly as possible. why? because superstorm sandy has shut down many gas stations in new york and new jersey leaving folks waiting in line for hours. now, cuomo says he has signed an executive order to waive the tax and registration requirements on fuel tankers. susan canne candioti. it's incredible when we hear the stories now. you have lines stretching for miles at some of these stations. you have some folks that have just absolutely have h it, and now there's a story about a driver in new york arrested

after allegedly pulling out a gun on another driver. tell us what happened. >> reporter: suzanne, it's remarkable. that's right. that happened in queens, new york. police arrested a man who allegedly cut line in the gas line and pulled a gun on a customer who challenged him about cutting into the line. that's when police moved in and arrested this guy. you have to imagine there are occasional dust-ups that we have seen, short tempers in these very long lines. both yesterday and today. people get frustrated, but overall, i have noticed the people that we have seen anyway being remarkably cool. we're talking about people who are stuck in their car for four hours at a time. sometimes the lines going back two miles. we just arrived on the scene of another location. a gas station in new jersey. the line is back five miles.

can you imagine what that is like. >> we are looking at folks lined up just walking along in a line there with the tanks in their hands, and they -- i understand they wait for hours, and then sometimes what happens is they get to the front of the line, and they're told there's no gas left. so are stations -- are they rationing it out. can they just sell until they run out? >> reporter: you know, it really depends on the situation, suzanne. they're putting out as much as they have as soon as they get it. they ran out at one state, and lines disappeared, and they quickly reform as the rumor goes out that they are going to be getting more gas, and, in fact, in two more hours this one gas station that was a hess station got another supply, and the lines were back longer than they were the first time. as soon as they get it, they're selling it out. >> how do people find out whether or not there's gas at a

gas station or not when they know that now we have gas again, and everybody just kind of, you know, desends on the station? >> a lot of cases it's through social media and through twitter through facebook. it's through word of mouth. i stopped one man that stopped at 25 different gas stations looking for one that was open, and when he stopped by ours to find out he was in that dead zone where they didn't have any at that time, but to a large degree you're watching the local news, you're monitoring social media or listening to the radio stations who are often telling you where you can find it. >> susan, finally, do they have any sense of how long this is going to go on? >> reporter: there isn't any. the hope is that it will start to ease up over the weekend. now that the ports of new york and new jersey are able to list some of the restricks -- lift the restrictions on fuel barges and ships coming in, so they can offload their fuel supplies.

sometimes bringing it in on another barge to get it to land when the piers are damaged and shipping it out to locations so they can get it on the road to bring it back into the hardest hit areas. >> all right. that's susan candiotti. >> we have good news here. when a storm of this size hits, neighbors, they try to get through it together. they rally together. it has been the case this week as well. you have some new yorkers who have power, and what are they doing? they're putting out the electrical outlets from their homes. you can see it there. so people can charge their cell phones, communicate with each other. there are other folks who even ride stationary bike to create cell power for phone power, and doctors are offering free medical care in other places, and some new york restaurants are even putting out tables of free food. time magazine making two cases now for who the next president should be. one for president obama. one for mitt romney. we're going to take a look at the arguments for each candidate with just four days to go. what if there was a new way to deal with money

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on gasoline. i am probably going to the gas station about once a month. last time i was at a gas station was about...i would say... two months ago. i very rarely put gas in my chevy volt. i go to the gas station such a small amount that i forget how to put gas in my car. [ male announcer ] and it's not just these owners giving the volt high praise. volt received the j.d. power and associates appeal award two years in a row. ♪

a run-up to tuesday's election, there are new endorsements. new york mayor michael bloomberg has come out for president obama. he cites, in part, the president's commitment to fighting climate change. the issue is front and center in the wake of hurricane sandy. economists in london also back president obama, although the endorsement is luke warm. it ends with all his shortcomings that president obama has dragged its economy back from the brink of disaster and has made a decent fist of foreign policy. this newspaper would stick with the devil it knows and re-elect him. "time magazine" chose not to go the traditional route. instead the weekly published two opinion pieces. each making the case for one of

the candidates. also, printed three front covers this week. yes. you can pick up three. one focuses on the superstorm. the other illustrates the presidential race. you can see it here. michael crowley is time's deputy chief -- washington bureau chief and, michael, first of all, it's really interesting. it's very unique. we've seen a lot of mups and magazines go one way or the other. why did "time" decide to go this route with basically two endorsements? >> well, look, you know, voters have been bombarded in the closing weeks of this campaign with negative ads, you know, big bird, benghazi, issues that may be important but are narrow, so here's an opportunity to zoom back, go back to first principles, what are the cases for the two candidates fundamentally, and i think it's really useful to zoom out and get the big picture take on, you know, pro and con. we've been nibbled to death with

these little bite sized attacks. what are the big picture questions here? >> they're both really interesting reads here. what is your take-away in terms of the major differences between the two candidates? >> well, look, i think the fundamental choice here and the pieces -- the very good pieces in the new issue get at this. number one, tackling the long-term debt crisis in this country. you do it with a balance of higher taxes on wealthier households, which is what president obama wants, or do you do it almost basically entirely by cutting spending, which is what mitt romney wants? number one. number two, health care. should there be a larger expanded government role to insure that everyone has health care or not? do you have much more private sector oriented solution, which would allow some people not to have health care, which is what mitt romney wants when he wants to repeal obama care? both pieces really get at that very basic choice. i think those are the two central things here. how are we going to pay for a reduction in our debt in terms of our tax code, and number two,

our health care system, which is both a matter of insuring people and also it's also a debt question. >> michael, is there any way to measure who picks up which copy in terms of who supports -- who gets more support this go-round? >> you know, i don't know the answer to that question. it's a great one, but, look, you know, we're proud because, you know, it's two different issues that's complicated enough to begin with. we have a third one now because of this storm that came along, and particularly for readers in the northeast. we wanted to make sure that we were speaking to what is on their mind, what they're interested in. i don't know how you measure it, but three different covers might be a first for sxushgs we're proud of it. >> you got everybody covered, i imagine. we mentioned the bloomberg endorsement, "the economy" as well. do you think that endorsements are still relevant? do you think that you have an obligation to your viewers being the kind of respected magazine that you are to put out an educated -- take a position on which county candidate you support? >> well, i don't know that

"time" institutionally has done that. i have not been there for a terribly long time, but i'm not aware in past years the magazine has done an institutional endorsement. we tend not to run institutional editorials like some of the other publications you mentioned. the economist isn't an opinion-based editorial magazine. i think that -- i think that we're providing readers with a real service here by saying here's the -- a really good case for each candidate, read them both. if you're not decided yet, you can make up your mind. to some degree i think it's nice to let people have that freedom to choose, but that i think we met an important responsibility there by presenting really strong cases on both sides which i think we succeeded in doing. they're two really good pieces. rich lowery wrote one. d.j. wrote another. smart pieces. probably the best case you could make for each guy. >> really fascinating reads. i've read them, and all three of your covers. they're all very good. appreciate your time and thanks

again. we'll check in back after the election. >> thanks for having me. >> thanks. we're continuing to facebook to ask you which candidate is making a better case for their vision of america? check out my page to vote. facebook.kovm/suzannemalveaux. we'll show you the results in the next hour. people have doubts about taking aspirin for pain. but they haven't experienced extra strength bayer advanced aspirin. in fact, in a recent survey, 95% of people who tried it agreed that it relieved their headache fast. visit fastreliefchallenge.com today for a special trial offer.

key battle grounds that both teams want to win badly is nevada. six electoral votes are up for grabs. a recent poll from the american research group shows the president with a razor thin lead. we're talking 49% to 47%. miguel mart ez shows us that while the candidates are betting on nevada, the voters are betting on an economic recovery. >> here we are here in vegas, baby. about 70% of the votes in the state are right here in clark

county. as this county goes, so goes nevada! ah! >> in a city that fell harder and faster than just about any place in the country. >> this better be a very close election. >> reporter: the stratosphere, like every place in vegas, suffered among some of the worst in nevada. >> the nevada landmark sunk more than $20 million into upgrades, including a new restaurant, and, oh, and that sky jump thing. most importantly, more than 100 new jobs. >> do you think las vegas is through the worst of it? >> it feels like it. you know, i drive to work every day, and i see stuff going on that i haven't seen for a little while. >> reporter: things like construction and homes being built in a place that once had the nation's highest foreclosure

rate. >> how many durn dirns were you doing at the low point, and how many now? >> 250 to 400, and now between 450 and 700 a night. >> oh woushgs. >> big recovery. >> this is an important state. you know, clark county especially. >> comedy icon and clark county voter louie anderson who does four shows a week at the palace station. >> how do you spell ron paul? >> reporter: says the city is struggling back, but he knows just how torn the country is. >> i think it's hard to be excited about obama if you have not worked, and i love obama. i understand the appeal of romney in this situation. >> reporter: like voters everywhere, he is tired of the campaign. >> obama has been here more than celine dion has. >> reporter: but hopeful that results, not politics, tops the agenda come january. >> if we're going to have the great country we had once, this is not going to be a democrat or

republican thing. this is going to be an every single american thing. >> reporter: miguel is joining us from vegas. miguel, first of all, you know how on do vegas. you got the show in there. dinner. the whole bit. we love it. jumping off of buildings. >> we do not mess around. >> no, no, no. you know, in all seriousness here, it's nevada. it's one of the worst unemployment rates in the country, right? today it stands at 11.8%. that's actually down from what it was just a year ago, right? 13.6%. tell us about this turnaround. do you think it's going to make -- >> it is a terrible unemployment rate here in clark county. it's even higher 12.3%. what people hope for more than anything is that this recovery is real. the best number i have heard so far, though, is that in the last month housing prices here have actually gone up by 1%. that's the biggest rise. it's the only rise it had since 2007. suzanne. >> all right. miguel, good to see you. thank you.

we're talking about all the subway lines. we're going to show you how much work is left to be done to get those repaired. >> at one point the water was up where we are standing here. >> you can tell where the steps are. >> at this this very level. >> we'll have more on the mess this storm has left behind. charlie rose: will you endorse president obama?

colin powell: yes. when he took over we were in one of the... worst recessions we had seen in recent times... close to a depression. and i saw, over the next several years, stabilization... come back in the financial community. housing is starting to pick up. the president saved the auto industry. and the actions he's taken with respect to... protecting us from terrorism have been very, very solid. and so, i think we ought to keep on the track that we are on. president obama: i'm barack obama and... i approve this message.

superstorm sandy brought down new york's subway system. the entire network, more than 200 miles of it, shut down. now, dozens of stations have now reopened, but trains still aren't running below 34th street or to queens, brooklyn, or manhattan. jason carol caught up with the metropolitan infrastructure chief and talked about what it's going to take to get the whole subway system up and running again. >> what is it that you'll be

doing down here because this is an area clearly where you are working now. i mean, it's -- >> the station itself will require a significant rehabilitation due to the damage from the storm and infrastructure. the electrical system, the fair collection systems, the lighting systems, the stairways, the ventilation systems, the elevators and escalators, they're all pretty much ruined from the water damage, from the surge damage. >> just follow my footsteps. >> wherever you see washed in from the tidal system. one of our newest subway stations. >> so were you able to -- obviously you were able to pump

out a lot of the water from this -- where we are right now? it's dry. >> it's dry to this level, but we'll take a look at the one that goes to the 109 terminal station, and you'll see the level of water where it stands today. >> this water here -- this is toxic? correct? >> that i cannot tell you if it's toxic in any sense. >> i mean, it currently looks, um -- >> it's sea water for the most part. the bay rose over the sea wall and flooded the station. >> at one point the water was up where we are standing here, so you can tell where the steps are rusted? >> yes. at this very level the water -- it looks about -- we pumped out about 50 feet so far. >> so you pumped 15 feet out. 15 feet you've already pumped? >> wow. okay. and a lot more to go. 25 feet down of water -- additional water? >> additional water still rising in place. >> when do you think this

particular subway station will be up and totally running again? >> i couldn't tell you. i really couldn't tell you. i don't have the expertise to really estimate it. >> if had you to guess? >> i would say months. >> months? >> months. >> yeah. >> months. >> that was jason carol in new york in the subway system. not everybody is happy about mayor bloomberg's decision to green light the annual new york city marathon. that's happening this weekend. many new yorkers, they believe the city should focus its energy and its resources on recovery and cleanup, while others agree with the mayor that the city has to go on, and the race is going to be good for business. the storm knocked out power in heavily damaged buildings in each of new york's five burroughs. the race is set for sunday. local politicians, even some runners, they are calling on the mayor to postpone this marathon. we are actually waiting to hear from the mayor, mayor bloomberg, in a minute now. he is going to be having a press conference, giving an update on

everything that's taking place in his city, recovery efforts. we are going to bring that to you live. you're seeing live pictures there. he will go to the podium and answer questions and provide as much information as possible about where the city stands now. it is the final countdown in the battleground states that could decide the next president. we'll hear from president obama. he is in ohio. [ male announcer ] citi turns 200 this year.

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sdmrimplts economic damage from superstorm sandy much more than first predicted. it is now expected to be anywhere from $30 billion to $60 billion. governor cuomo's office is capturing images of the some of the damage. they're posting them on

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david letterman went dark, literally, last night to show his solidarity with the millions of superstorm sandy victims who still don't have any power. take a look. >> yeah, have you to have three people to get into the new york city area. one new yorker was stopped for driving alone. turns out he had bodies in the trunk. okay. kind of weird. new york mayor mike bloomberg will be speaking soon about, of course, the recovery efforts to see the live event taking place there as people wait for him to approach the microphone.

taking questions from reporters ro. one of the questions is how will the new york city marathon will be affected by all of this? the mayor is pushing to move it forward. he wants to have it happen on sunday as it's scheduled as planned. some folks think that's a pretty bad idea. that resources should all go to help the city and to people that are really suffering right now. we'll bring it to you as soon as it begins. also, waiting for president obama to speak in ohio. the race there extremely tight. cnn's latest poll of polls showing the president leading mitt romney by just three points. romney arrives later in ohio today. the president also expected to take the stage in just a minute. this is springfield, ohio. that is where we will bring that to you live as soon as it starts.

welcome back to "cnn newsroom." i'm suzanne malveaux. a rally for president obama in springfield, ohio. we'll bring that to you life as soon as it happens. the president really making his case, his final argument for why he believes you should vote for him. we are also waiting for the new york mayor michael bloomberg to address his city's recovery efforts, what is taking place there as well. i want to first go to the job numbers, however. the final unemployment report before the presidential election, well, it's out today. here's what the numbers show. the economy added 171,000 jobs last month. joining me to talk about the numbers, georgia tech economist danny. good to see you. you and i have been doing this every month. >> that's right. >> here is the final number here. when you look at these numbers,

what does it say to you in terms of the stress and recovery? is it good news or is it bad news for how the administration has been handling the recession and the recovery? >> all right. well, short answer. if i was grading this in my economics 101 class, i would give it a grade c. unemployment went up. this is a strong signal about what's happening in the economy. we've had 171,000 jobs created. now, more than that were created. 1 4,000, but the governor -- government took away 13,000. last month in september, that number was revised upwards by 30%. the month before that it was revised upward by 60%. we've been averaging about 170,000 jobs over the last five months. >> so the unemployment rate ticked up a little bit, so people are going to look at that number and say, well, that's not good. >> yeah, they're going to say that, but the unemployment rate went up because

market were african-american, and half of those jobs -- the other 50% are still searching. you know, the unemployment rate went up significantly because so many of the new entrants into the labor market were african-american. radio do these numbers indicate why people are actually coming back into the market? >> yes. they're coming back -- if you look -- i looked at -- i kind of tracked about 20 indicators, and of those 19 are property. the only one that is struggling a bit is business investment, but this is the first time since right session that we've had so many positive indicators across the economy. >> we'll leave it there. mayor michael bloomberg is now taking the podium to talk about the recovery effort there. let's listen in.

>> big buildings disconnect from the grid if electrical damage has been done so when con-ed is ready to turn the power on -- we have good news in that area that i'll share in a minute -- that it won't start a fire. when it comes to individual homes, that is much more problematic, and so in these neighborhoods we're going to have to go door to door and if we can't get in, then it's a real risk because if you turn on power in the neighborhood a fire may start inside. i did see the fantastic work that our city and federal workers and volunteers are doing to help each other in the areas devastated. i shook the hands. i thanked them. i urged all of them to stay safe and to try to get some rest. many of them right back working close to 24 hours every day, and i don't think anybody can fault the a number of people had lost

their homes, and, yet, they're still working, and he said why, and he said because i want to help my neighbor, and i think that is the spirit that i have always thought new yorkers have and particularly new york city workers. we're here to help each other, but we're also city workers here to help the citizens of this great city, and we're going to tk continue to do that. the death toll from sandy continues to rise. we now know that at least 41 new yorkers have perished. as i cautioned yesterday, as rescue and recovery efforts continue, there could be more fatalities that are discovered. we are getting to the point where we think we've been through every place, but you can never be 100% sure.

yesterday, as i'm sure you heard, first responders recovered the bodies of little brandon and connor moore of staten island. brandon was 2 years old, and connor was 4. they were swept away from their mother's arms by the force of sandy's storm surge, and it just breaks your heart to even think about it. as a father, i cannot imagine the pain and anguish the boys' parents are suffering. their father, damien, is a city sanitation worker. at the time of the tragedy he was on the job helping our city respond to the storm. i did talk to him this morning and expressed as a parent my deepest sympathies. there's nothing you can ever say to a parent who has lost a child other than you're praying for them, you're praying for their kids, and we will do anything we can to help them, but i think in the end the loss of a child is something no parent should ever go through. when they do, it's particularly if you are a parent, you just really feel it. >> the truth of the matter is

while much. >> for those that lost homes and businesses recovery will be long and difficult, and there are still many around our city facing extremely difficult current situations in the storm's aftermath. for many without power and those who are far from stores and restaurants that are open, fresh food and water is an immediate concern, and as i announced yesterday, we are distributing free prepared meals and bottled water to people in the hardest hit areas of the city, including coney island, the south shore of staten island, chinatown, and lower manhattan, and the rockaways. we have 13 distribution sites opened as staffed by national guard members, by new york city

service volunteers, and by the staff of the salvation army. >> mayor michael bloomberg there giving an update on the city saying 41 new yorkers have died from super storm sandy. also, relaying a sad story about two young children, brandon and connor, a 2 and 4-year-old, swept from their parent's arms, taken away. their bodies found at a later point. the mayor offered his condolences, his prayers, and also saying much of new york city, they are trying to get back to normal. here's what we're working on for this hour. >> while superstorm sandy's victims try to find power and stay warm, a nor'easter threatens to take another shot at the east coast. >> please, we're going to die if we get killed with the weather. we're going to die. we're going to freeze. >> reporter: while people look for shelter, there's a gas shortage. they're waiting for hours just to fill up. >> a lot of patience and a lot of sanity. >> reporter: time magazine points a finger at climate change. while the northeast struggles to recover, the country continues to push ahead toward election day.

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we are waiting to hear from the president. he will be in springfield, ohio. he is going to step up and make his case, his final argument really for why he wants voters to be voting for him for a second term. of course, in ohio a critical state of ohio, make or break state for both the candidates in terms of who becomes the president. at least that is the conventional wisdom. i want to bring in jessica yellin who is in springfield there traveling with the president. jess, this is a second rally today, and you have the jobs numbers that came out. the last one before the election. it was stronger than expected.

>> there's something in these numbers. as you mention, suzanne, a number of unemployment rates did pick up, which makes governor romney's case that things are not improving. for the president's part this morning, he argued that the number ticked up only because more people entered the work force. well, that is, many part, true. more people did enter -- or are looking for jobs, and that's part of the reason the numbers picked up. government also slashed a number of jobs, government jobs available. that's about the contraction of government jobs. it's not entirely a positive picture clearly, but the president said today our businesses are v created nearly 5.5 million new jobs, and we learned that companies hired more workers in october than at any time in the last eight months. so, suzanne, he focused on the private sector's growth. companies hired more workers, and that's what the president has been doing throughout the campaign phobinging on private

sector job growth. >> jessica, you have been traveling with him a good part of a year here. ohio, of course, very important. 18 electoral votes. who are folks telling you about what they want to hear? is there a sense of enthusiasm, excitement? give us a sense of what it's like. >> i'm on the campaign bus with the president. >> people who are at the president's rallies get incredibly fired up about the auto bailout and when the president talks about he add aid new line to his speech today -- as recovered while chrysler said

they weren't selling jeeps in china. those are jeeps for the chinese market. they are not taking jobs from the u.s. to do that, and so the president is accusing romney of being misleading. the romney campaign, you know, argues the facts are not misrepresentative. the crowd goes nuts when he said that today, and really went wild over it. he is getting a warm reception wherever he goes. these are clearly democratic crowds. >> on his assessment there, it's not a real representation of everybody there. thanks. we'll be getting back to you, and we'll bring this to you live as soon as the event starts. earlier today mitt romney held a campaign rally in another swing state, wisconsin. romney told the crowd he is going to work for day one to get americans back to work. he blamed the president's policies for the state of the economy. he said a president has failed to deliver on the promises he made four years ago, like his promise to reach across the aisle and work with republicans. >> instead of bridging the

divide he has made it wider. in part it's because he never worked across the aisle before. never understood how jobs are created in the economy, and now today is he making new promises. promises i will be unable to keep because he admits he will stay on the same path he has been on, and the same course we have been on will not lady to a better destination. president boem, who just spoke in ohio a while ago wrote on cnn.com today saying i think america's prosperity was built on the strength of our middle class. we don't succeed when a few at the top do well while everyone else struggles to get by. we're better off when everyone gets a fair shot. everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules. the man who wants his job, of course, former massachusetts

governor mitt romney both in wisconsin just a short time ago, and in his cnn.com opinion piece romney wrote about bipartisanship saying, "i am offering a contrast to what we're seeing in washington today. we've watched as one party has pushed through its agenda without compromising with the other party. we've watched gridlock and petty conflict dominate while the most important issues confronting the nation, like high unemployment, go unaddressed. the bickering has to end. i will end it and will reach across the aisle to solve america's problems." you can read the complete opinions by logging on to our website. just if to cnn.com/opinion. go to my facebook page and tell me who you think has the most compelling vision for america's future. we want to hear from you. we're going read some of your responses. that is facebook.com/suzannemalveaux. and sandy did not just tear up the jersey shore and flood manhattan. the storm also is causing a gas shorta

shortage. >> it's probably three hours to get into the city. there's no gas there. just to say i think it's a shame what's happened. [ woman ] it's 32 minutes to go time, and the candidate's speech is in pieces all over the district. the writer's desktop and the coordinator's phone are working on a joke with local color. the secure cloud just received a revised intro from the strategist's tablet. and while i make my way into the venue, the candidate will be rehearsing off of his phone. [ candidate ] and thanks to every young face i see out there. [ woman ] his phone is one of his biggest supporters. [ female announcer ] with cisco at the center... working together has never worked so well.

new york governor andrew cuomo is trying to get more gas into his state as fast as possible because of the storm, and it's shut down many gas stations in new york and new jersey leaving folks in line waiting for hours, but the governor says he is going to make it easier for fuel tankers to refill and be patient. here's what he said. >> i have just signed an executive order that waives the state's requirements that fuel tankers register and pay a tax before unloading. >> suzanne candiotti is joining us from new jersey. susan, just take us through what you have seen here. i understand you were talking about lines that have stretched for miles and one new york

driver pulled out a gun when he couldn't get some gas? >> reporter: yeah. i mean, you hear of all kinds of things happening, but, yes, in fact, that did happen in queens, new york, last night when someone cut line, got in front of somebody, and when a customer called him on it, according to police, this guy pulled a gun out. they are they arrested him, of course, but, i mean, for the most part, yeah, we see some dust-ups, some flare-ups here. people get mad because other people are cutting in line, but people overall are remarkably well behaved. here have you two lines here. people who are in their cars waiting in a line that goes back at least a couple of miles, and then you have people who line up bringing gas cans. you can't bring the gas cans in your car and do both at one spot. you have to form two separate lines, and, again, they've been here for hours. we've got a piece of tape here, susan ann, i would love to show you of a man who got to the front of the line and then ran -- wait a minute. they're cheering people on here.

there is camaraderie here. a guy gets to the front of the line. in fact, wait a minute here. why are people cheering snu. >> because i went to get more cans out of the car. >> right. i mean, how many did you get altogether? >> three and two little ones. >> are people being nice here? >> yeah. they're very nice. i told hem, this is my -- >> why is the gas so important? why do you need it? >> generator. >> still no power? >> no power. they say it's probably going to be tonight or next week. >> that's a long time, and it's cold. >> yes. i got the heat hooked up with the generator and everything, but, still, it's uncomfortable. i got wires all over the house. >> good luck to you, sir. thank you very much. over here you have people who are standing here waiting to fill up their gas cans too. a father and son. you have been here how many hours? >> almost three. just about three hours. we're almost next. >> i know it's hard for adults. how are you spending the time?

>> facebook, games, stuff like that. >> what are you telling your friends on facebook? >> i'm waiting here. i brought a coat this time because that's happened a few times, standing outside in the cold. >> did you have power at your house? >> we don't have power. we're waiting for gas for our generator to keep heat and lights on in the house. >> we wish you all the luck in the world. thank you very much, indeed. >> thank you. >> we're going to have to leave it there. the president is speaking in springfield, ohio. want to listen in. >> the american auto industry is back on top. home values, housing starts are on the rise. we're less dependent on foreign oil than any time in the last 20 years.

the war in iraq is over, the war in afghanistan is ending, al qaeda has been decimated. osama bin laden is dead. >> we're on the move, ohio. the reason you are all here today, the reason i'm here today is because we know we've got more work to do. as long as there's a single american who wants a job and can't find one, our work is not done. slopgs there is a child anywhere in this country that's languishing from poverty our fight goz. we are not finished yet. we've got more work to do.

>> we understand we cannot succeed without ladders for folks that work hard to get into the middle class. our fight goes on because america has always done best when everybody is getting a fair shot and everybody is doing their fair share, and everybody plays by the same rules. that's what we believe. that's what you believe. that's why you elected me in 2008, and that's why i'm running for a second term as president of the united states.

>> in four days, just four, four days for four years. >> in four days you have a choice to make. it's not just a choice between two parties or two candidates. it's a choice between two different visions for america. it's a choice between going back to the top-down policy that is got us into this mess or the middle-out, bottom-up strategy that is have gotten us out of this mess and are going to keep us going. >> as americans we believe in free enterprise, and we believe in the dreamers and risk takers who are the driving force behind

our economy. that hes how we create growth and pros pirt, the greatest the world has ever known, but we also believe that our economy does best, our businesses do better, our entrepreneurs do better when everybody has a chance to succeed. when all our workers are getting new skills and all our children are getting a good education. when we have new technology, and we believe america is stronger when everybody can count on affordable health insurance and medicare and social security. when our kids are protected from toxic dump and pollution, when our consumers aren't being taken advantage of by credit card companies or mortgage lenders. we believe in a democracy where everybody's voice is heard, where you just can't buy an election.

>> and we believe in politicians who understand that there are some things that the american people can do better for themselves. for example, that politicians in washington, mostly men, shouldn't be controlling health care choices that women can make perfectly well for themselves. >> for eight years we had a president who shared these beliefs, a guy named bill clinton. >> president obama out of springfield, ohio, making a closing case, closing argument, in the next four days before the election trying to convince voters that he deserves a second term. just a reminder, our cnn reporters are across the country covering these battleground states. they are key. we're also teaming up with facebook to ask you which candidate is making a better pitch for their vision for america. check out facebook.com/suzannemalveaux.

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sxwrirchlgts we talk about katrina. there is the long island express as well that was hit in the middle east. it claimed hundreds and hundreds of lives. the death toll was so high. there was hardly any warning or preparation for that matter. well, in the wake of this week's superstorm time magazine is exploring ways to protect people and property from these monster hurricanes. brian joins us live from new york. brooen, it's great to see you. first of all, very compelling articles here. i want to start off by talking about the power grid.

you've got millions of folks along the east coast still without power. now they are freezing. we're going to talk about the real cold temperatures coming up over the weekend. how do we focus on the power system to make it more resilient, stronger? >> well, one thing you can do is to look actually at buried power lines. 18% of distribution lines in the u.s. are actually underground. of course, if they're above ground, then they're vulnerable to being knocked down by trees, which is what's happened in all kinds of storms, including a big one like sandy. that's one option. you can also look to go to smarter grid technology that will enable utilities to respond better. it's interesting to see that the internet and twitter handle thissed better than the power grid. you can imagine that if you can build one of those smdz, the internet are self-healing systems and apply that to a grid you have a situation where fewer people would lose power in a big disaster like this one. >> that's interesting. it is expensive to put those wires indian grournd because 18% of the weerz underground because

it is so costly. let's talk about the strong winds piling up of water that sometimes are feet above the normal high level. >> there was flooding over. flooding that we've never seen before on this kind of scale. you can try to protect certain coastal cities. new york city, for instance, the sea wall, the sort that you see in cities like amsterdam or even london as well as a way to protect vital infrastructure. the problem, of course, is that's extremely expensive. you are looking at billions of dollars. it won't protect everyone. you can't build a sea wall that will protect all the coastline of new york city alone.

certainly, have you to think about that, and you have to think about where do you put people and valuable property and infrastructure. maybe move it so it's further away from the coast so it's not washed out the way it was in this storm. >> an important point, brian. we think about katrina and the army kov corps of engineer buildings, and the floodgates and pumps and levees that tried to keep southeast will youly safe from flooding, and you can't really keep everybody protected. i mean, it is estimated $10 million for new york. tell us how you think fema is preparing this go-round here? people also talk about a very -- the importance of a very strong emergency response system. >> well, that was clearly really needed in the case of sandy because this storm was so huge. you had winds going 450 miles away from the center, so this storm essentially hit multiple states simultaneously. tens of millions of people all affected at the same time. the problem with that is one state can't handle that by themselves. you need to get a strong federal response. so far i think fema has done

well. the real issue with that -- within the future, though -- this is not just a one-day, two-day, one-week response. fema will have to be on the job for a long time. the question is whether it has the resources and the ability necessary to make sure it's doing its job. >> brian, if there's one take-away from this article, from this feature, what would it be? what's important to learn from this superstorm? >> i think we need to deal with climate change. that's incredibly important. it did play a role in this disaster. certainly a major storm. you need to do that. >> all right. >> also how can we build a city that's more resilient so we don't have to worry about this in the future. >> all right. brian, thank you very much. appreciate it. if you want to continue to watch cnn from your smartphone or computer, log to cnn.com. cnn newsroom continues right after this. to help those in nee. when a twinge of back pain surprises him. morning starts in high spirits, but there's a growing pain in his lower back. as lines grow longer, his pain continues to linger. but after a long day of helping others,

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much much the focus has been

on the white house. there is a big battle for droel control of the u.s. senate. right now democrats hold a working majoritied of 63 seats. they have 51, and the two independents that caucus with them, republicans hold 47 seats, so the balance of power could swing to the gop if republicans win some pretty close races. our cnn reporters across the country covering the battleground states. dana bash is joining us from d.c. dana, this is about math, and it's about turn-out. get those -- how is this all going to play out? >> it is. it's all about math. republicans need a net pick-up of four seats to get a 51 majority. that is a clear majority. they need three of mitt romney wins the presidency, and then his vice president paul ryan could provide a tie-breaking vote. there's so much drama on how it's going to turn out because there are so many competitive races going into election day. more than a dozen. in fact, we can put up a map to show our viewers. there are so many races up for grabs. you can see them. it's very clear when you look at

that map. some are more competent tiff than others, but it's a pretty broad universe when you aare looking at the question of tipping the balance of power in the senate and washington in general. some of these races i will tell you, though, both parties agree, maybe are less competitive. republican sources say that they do see at this point losing scott brown's seat in massachusetts and the open seat in maine, which is currently held by olympia snow. she's retiring. democrats think they're likely to lose member nebraska's seat to a republican there. >> it seems that it was a given that republicans could take the senate especially since the democrats have a 23-seat in this terrible economy honestly. not so certain anymore. >> no, it's not. not even close. in fact, let's split up that first map by party is our viewers can see the republican challenge in getting the majority in the senate more clearly. first, the democratic seats. you see them there in blue. there are about eight of them nauls play, and republicans do lose that, then they're going to have to really run the board

there almost with seven to get an outright 51 seat majority, which would be tough enough, but if you look at the next map, the republican seats up for grabs on tuesday, republicans have a problem there because they're defending other gop seats. there you see nevada, arizona, indiana, and they're all pretty competitive. indiana in particular. you remember richard murdock, the republican candidate there who talked a couple of weeks ago about life being a gift as he discussed rape and abortion, which was a big problem for him. new polls today, suzanne, have him down 11 points, so big picture, it is doable for republicans, but far from easy, and one interesting footnote. a top republican source involved in strategy for the republicans in the senate told us today that he does not think republicans can retake the majority unless mitt romney wins the white house at this point. >> wow. so much is unexpected. so many surprises along the way. it will be fascinating to see what happens in the balance of power. dana, thank you. good to see you. >> thanks. >> as mentioned, both mitt

romney, president obama laid out their visions for america exclusively on cnn.com. earlier we asked you whose vision do you think is best? well, here are some of your responses up next. ah. fire bad! just have to fire roast these tomatoes. do you churn your own butter too? what? this is going to give you a head start on your dinner. that seems easier sure does who are you? [ female announcer ] new progresso recipe starters. five delicious cooking sauces you combine with fresh ingredients to make amazing home-cooked meals. ♪ ambiance [ female announcer ] new progresso recipe starters. your head-start to home cooked. but i'm still stubbed up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't unstuff your nose. what? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus liquid gels speeds relief to your worst cold symptoms plus has a decongestant for your stuffy nose. thanks. that's the cold truth!

we asked to you read the opinion articles by president obama and mitt romney exclusively on cnn.com. whose vision, do you think, has the best vision for america? you could post your response on my facebook page. also, cnn now powering with facebook to create this new app called i'm voting. first it asks you to commit to vote this election. we want you to vote. second, it shows you how do your friends, neighbors feel about a host of issues. so which candidate has a more compelling vision? that is the question today. here's how some of you responded. stephanie gorick says romney because obama failed. "without question, president obama's vision for america is

better for the nation and all the people in it." the manhattan streets became rivers this week. a hospital staff got every one of their patients to safety. they evacuated the hospital including newborn babies. they were in the dark, no power, in the middle of the superstorm. you can see these pictures. they are amazing. the amazing nurses of nyu's langon medical center, we're going talk with them up next. to the gas station y g about once a month. last time i was at a gas station was about...i would say... two months ago. i very rarely put gas in my chevy volt. i go to the gas station such a small amount that i forget how to put gas in my car. [ male announcer ] and it's not just these owners giving the volt high praise. volt received the j.d. power and associates appeal award two years in a row. ♪

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right? but since the storm, four days now, this is manhattan when the sun goes down. it is dark, electricity is out for much of the city. and it is going to be like this for at least another night. con edison says millions of people should have power restored this weekend. outside the city, much of new jersey and connecticut, lights could be off until late november. >> give me that. >> people in new york getting desperate now for drinking water, filling containers from fire hydrants and then there is the gas problem. filling stations there running out of it. people are waiting for hours in their cars and on foot. some stations that still have gas and electricity are pumping, they're rationing whatever fuel they have left. police now are posted to keep impatient customers from now jumping the line. one new york hospital went into emergency overdrive monday night

when the storm suddenly shut off power, filled the elevators with water. they had 260 patients, including newborns. they had to get them out right away to safety. our senior medical correspondent elizabeth cohen with this extraordinary story and i have to tell you, i mean, it just -- it warms your heart, when you think of what they did, especially for those little preemies, i mean, that is a tough, tough job. >> i got the phone call in the middle of the night on monday from a source at nyu and he said we're bringing out these little tiny babies, carrying them down nine flights of stairs and their respirators, the battery power is gone, so we have to manually pump air into these babies' lungs. so i said to him, i want to talk to the nurses who did this. we're very fortunate that today we have four of these nicu nurses who were there. they really are heroes. they evacuated 20 babies in the dark with flashlights and glow sticks, basically. and so i want to introduce you to the four nurses.

we have margo, sandra, claudia and nicola. thank you so much for being with us. >> thanks for having us. thank you. >> i want to say thank you, really, from the entire nation, and personally i have three children who were in the nicu, spent many, many weeks there, it is a frightening time. i can only imagine what it was like for the parents in this situation and what comfort you gave them. margo, let's start with you. there is what has now become iconic video of you cradling a baby, taking that baby out into the ambulance to bring them to safety. and so i wanted to ask you, would we see you there now, it looks like you're a mom, but you're not a mom, you're the nurse carrying the baby. we have seen this video. now you tell us what was going through your head as you were taking care of that baby. >> well, i was very focused on the job that i had to do, which was keeping the baby warm, making sure that the breathing tube stayed in good placement,

making sure we were giving breaths, and just staying as calm as possible because babies are very sensitive to feelings of anxiety, so i just had to be calm and strong and nice and warm for the baby. >> how can you be calm in that situation, though? everything is basically kind of gone wrong. you've lost power. it is cold. you got a flashlight. how did you stay calm? >> well, i'm comfortable caring for critically ill babies so i use that knowledge and experience to push away the worries and the fears. and i just focused on what i knew i could do. >> you have sitting next to you sandra. sandra, tell me about the night, in the stair well, only flashlights, we just saw some of the pictures. tell me what that night was like monday. >> as crazy as the environment can be, i think that all of the nurses, the doctors, the firemen and policemen we kept our calm,

tried to be as organized as possible in that chaos. as far as the dark stair well, we had medical students, we had other personnel holding flashlights, guiding our way. and step by step every team had their patient and we did it as safe as possible manner. >> ladies, thanks so much. thank you for coming in and telling us about this. i understand you got a phone call from president obama thank youing you as weas well. i can see why he called. they mentioned the seems, there were about four people with each baby and everyone had a different job. one person was holding the lines. all the tubing that went to the baby, one person holding the baby. there was a physician with every baby. with every patient, really. >> we have seen, i think, some response from the parents. we saw some -- a gentleman who was just thanking them, just couldn't stop thanking them for the job that they had done. >> because the parents sat there and watched as they organized this, as they prioritized who they were going to take.

the whole scene unfolded in front of them and they are incredibly grateful. >> that is amazing. elizabeth, thank you. a beautiful story. we'll have to get back to the ladies and talk to them more about how the whole evening unfolded, really heroes. >> they are. >> thank you. "cnn newsroom" continues now with don lemon. i turned 65 last week. i'm getting married. planning a life. there are risks, sure. but, there's no reward without it. i want to be prepared for the long haul. i see a world bursting with opportunities. india, china, brazil, ishares, small-caps, large-caps, ishares. industrials. low cost. every dollar counts. ishares. income. dividends. bonds. i like bonds. ishares. commodities. diversification. choices. my own ideas. ishares. i want to use the same stuff the big guys use. ishares. 9 out of 10 large, professional investors choose ishares for their etfs. introducing the ishares core, etfs for the heart of your portfolio. tax efficient and low cost building blocks

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call... to switch, and you could save hundreds. liberty mutual insurance -- responsibility. what's your policy? hello, everyone. i'm don lemon. this is cnn's special coverage of the final battlegrounds. i'm coming to you live from downtown in columbus, ohio. you can see the city scape behind me. it is beautiful, a little cold here, but all eyes are on this state. the state has become the biggest prize in this presidential election. with four days left, just four days left, candidates are moving at a frantic pace. and throughout the show, we're going to be taking you on a battleground state blitz, revealing their strategies, bringing you their last minute arguments, and on and on and on. plus we're staying on the